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H.R. 4779: REFER Act of 2018

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H.R. 4779: REFER Act of 2018

115th Congress · introduced 2018-01-11 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2018-01-11 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

REFER Act of 2018

Plain summary

Restraining Excessive Federal Enforcement & Regulations of Cannabis Act of 2018 or the REFER Act of 2018 This bill prohibits the use of funds made available by Congress to a federal department or agency: to restrict a state or local law that authorizes the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of cannabis; to detain, prosecute, sentence, or initiate civil proceedings against an individual, business, or property involved in cannabis-related activities in accordance with state or local law; or to penalize a financial institution for providing financial services to a business engaged in cannabis-related activities in compliance with state or local law.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13] · 16 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Dina Titus (D-NV), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), David P. Joyce (R-OH), Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr4779 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115